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Southwest Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Southwest crockpot chicken and rice with tender shredded chicken, long-grain white rice, and Tex-Mex flavors simmered until the grains absorb every bit of broth. Finished with melted pepper jack and bright avocado-cilantro toppings, it’s a hearty one-pot slow-cooker meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Southwest chicken and rice
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 1 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 avocado for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken and build the filling
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
  2. Add black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 5–6 hours (or high for 3 hours) until the chicken is nearly tender, with the mixture gently bubbling around the edges.
Shred, then cook the rice until tender
  1. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks until it’s in bite-size pieces.
  2. Stir in the uncooked rice and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, distributing it evenly through the liquid.
  3. Cook on high for 30–40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed the liquid, thickening the pot to a spoon-coating consistency.
Melt the cheese and serve
  1. Sprinkle the pepper jack cheese over the top, cover, and heat for 5 minutes until melted.
  2. Serve hot with sour cream, fresh cilantro, and avocado on top.

Notes

For best texture, keep the lid on during the rice step so it cooks evenly; stir once only if you notice dry pockets. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the rice texture can soften after thawing. To make it dairy-free, skip the pepper jack and add a dairy-free cheese or serve with extra avocado instead.